Sweet Land (2005)

User Rating:

7.3/10   

Director:

Ali Selim

Writers:

Will Weaver (short story "A Gravestone Made of Wheat") and
Ali Selim (writer)

Release Date:

31 July 2008 (Brazil)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

A love story

Plot:

Set in 1920, Inge travels from Germany to rural Minnesota meet the man destined to be her husband. Bureaucracy and social morality cause major complications.

Plot Keywords:

1920s | Minnesota | Rural | Morality | Citizenship

Awards:

6 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Elizabeth Reaser	...	Young Inge
Lois Smith	...	Old Inge
Patrick Heusinger	...	Young Lars
Stephen Pelinski	...	Old Lars
Tim Guinee	...	Young Olaf
Robert Hogan	...	Old Olaf
Alan Cumming	...	Young Frandsen
Paul Sand	...	Old Frandsen
Jodie Markell	...	Donna Torvik
Sage Kermes	...	Mae Torvik
Kirsten Frantzich	...	Lee
Stephen Yoakam	...	Einar Torvik
Karen Landry	...	Rose Torvik
James Cada	...	Minister Thorwald
Debbie DeLisi	...	Sarah Torvik

Also Known As:

Wedding Photo (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated PG for brief partial nudity and mild language.

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | German | Norwegian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG | Argentina:Atp | UK:PG

Filming Locations:

Dawson, Minnesota, USA

Company:

120dB Films

Trivia:

Won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature at the Florida Film Festival.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: During the train depot scene, the pendulum of the regulator clock on the wall is not moving yet as the scenes progress, the hands of the clock move from 2:10 to 3:30. Impossible for hands to move without the pendulum as it was not an electric clock and certainly not a quartz movement circa 1920.

Quotes:

Brownie: You hungry? hungry?
[rubs stomach]
Inge: I could eat a horse.
Brownie: Well we could find dat.

Movie Connections:

References The Godfather (1972)

Outstanding story telling, without crutches like special effects.

Like the previous reviewer, my roots are also of similar farming background. This film reminds us that many current issues - such as immigration and prejudice - are not so new. It also provides great insight into the challenges and obstacles faced (and overcome) by previous generations, in settling the land and creating so much we now take for granted. The cinematography and presentation techniques remind me of great films from the past, when telling a great story was top priority, instead of fire-hosing the audience with special effects and technical tricks. I absolutely agree with the previous reviewer - this film is a treasure, and worth seeing many times.